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Bexar County directs staff to explore crisis nursery to keep children out of foster care
Summary
After a staff presentation, the court unanimously directed staff to explore creating a voluntary, licensed 24‑hour crisis nursery to provide short‑term care for children and connect families to services, using reprogrammed child‑welfare funds for study and procurement options.
Barbara Shaffer, the county’s director of strategic planning, told the court that a crisis nursery provides licensed, short‑term care for children birth through age 10 while caregivers address emergencies — preventing unnecessary foster placements and easing pressure on law enforcement and hospitals. “A crisis nursery is a voluntary licensed 24‑hour program that provides short term care for children birth through age 10 while their caregiver addresses an emergency,” Shaffer said.
Shaffer and commissioners framed the proposal as prevention and family preservation: children receive trauma‑informed care while staff connect parents with housing, behavioral health and other supports so families can safely reunify. Commissioners asked detailed operational questions — who may refer a child, likely length of stay, and whether funding would be taken from the county’s prior allocations to CPS caseworkers. Shaffer said the state has taken on certain CPS positions and the county proposes reprogramming those funds to pilot the crisis nursery.
Several commissioners and public speakers supported the concept. Commissioner Clay Flores called it “preventative child abuse work” and Commissioner Justin Rodriguez, who seconded the motion to direct staff, questioned procurement approach and provider capacity. Yolanda Valenzuela, a long‑time child‑welfare advocate, said the program will reach families who otherwise fear approaching CPS: “This is prevention. This is before it gets to CPS,” she said.
The court approved a motion by Commissioner Clay Flores, seconded by Commissioner Justin Rodriguez, directing staff to explore development of a crisis nursery, including potential procurement methods and qualified vendors, with a report back to Commissioners Court for a future decision. The action was a direction to staff to bring options rather than an authorization to contract.
Next steps: staff will develop procurement options, scope estimates and cost projections and return to the court with a recommendation for implementation or pilot funding.
